Newmarket Era, October 20, 2016

Page 1

GENDER IDENTITY

OUR VIEW

ARE WE RE-INVENTING WAY IN WHICH WE VIEW GENDER? PAGE A3

EDUCATION SYSTEM MUST HELP STUDENTS PAGE A6

THE ERA

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PUBLIC SAFETY

Clown costume sales up as more run-ins reported “O BY JEREMY GRIMALDI

jgrimaldi@yrmg.com

ne rather pissed off mommy,” is how Anita Newton described her emotions after she said a group of people, wearing scary clown masks, chased three nine-yearold girls around Bonnie Boats Park last week. “To the three or four friends who had nothing better to do…(than to) put on a clown costume with a rather frightening mask and chase girls to the point they were in hysterics and tears and now quite traumatized… thanks, I hope you had a good night’s sleep,” she wrote about the alleged Oct. 11 Jackson’s Point incident on Facebook. Newton is not the only one left fearful in York Region since scary clown incidents began occurring in the United States and Canada. On Oct. 15, at around 3:30 p.m. in Vaughan, a 17-year-old man was cautioned after driving around in a scary clown mask and entering a shop and restaurant with it on and frightening people in the area of Melville Avenue and Rutherford Road. Once police questioned him, the man handed over the mask, according to York police “I guess he thought it would be funny, not realizing something would come of it,” said Sgt. Kelly Bachoo, who admitted that wearing a mask is not actually against the law unless it is used in the commission of an offence.

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The incident came one day after a three teenagers were charged with careless driving by Durham Regional Police after allegedly driving around attempting to scare people. The force has received 31 calls related to clowns since the beginning of October. And although many are hoping for this trend to end, one Halloween shop owner said his sales of clown costumes have never been higher. Mel Grevler, owner of Thornhill’s Party Supply Depot, said he’s made three or four orders for clown costumes already this season. “It’s good for business, we’re selling clown outfits left, right and centre,” said the owner, adding that he considers the fear surrounding scary clowns to be overblown. “I think North Americans blow all sorts of things out of proportion.” However not all feel this way. Newton insisted that since the incident, the three girls have lost much of their independence. York police said they have received fewer than 10 calls regarding people in clown garb. Steve Somerville/Metroland Canadian Tire decided to pull creepy Karen Del Rosario and Sofia Lofranco show off three of the most popular clown masks this clown costumes from its shelves last week and Target in the United States did the same. Halloween season at the Party Superstore in Thornhill.

WARD 5 BYELECTION

Candidate Bob Kwapis earns victory in Newmarket Ward 5 byelection BY CHRIS SIMON

B Susie Kockerscheidt/Metroland

Bob Kwapis (left) celebrates his victory in Monday’s Newmarket Ward 5 byelection his wife Barbara and son Chris at Cachet. Kwapis won the election with 803 votes over Darryl Wolk’s 479 votes. Coming in third was Tracee Chambers at 444 votes

csimon@yrmg.com

ob Kwapis is town hall bound. The rookie candidate defeated seven other hopefuls during the Newmarket Ward 5 byelection Monday night. According to the official results released Tuesday morning, Kwapis earned 803 of the 2,050 votes cast (39.2 per cent). Darryl Wolk finished second with 479 votes (23.4) and Tracee Chambers took third with 444 votes (21.7). Ron Eibel (105 votes or 5.1), Peter Geibel (94 or 4.6), Tom Pearson (68 or 3.3) and Ian Johnston (40 or two) trailed further behind. “All the candidates put up a really good, clean effort,” Kwapis said during a victory party at Cachet restaurant, as a loud cheer roared through the building because Toronto Blue Jays player Michael Saunders belted a home run to tie the game against the Cleveland Indians. “I’m thrilled there were so many names thrown into the hat. That really just shows how important Ward 5 is for Newmarket.”

Wasim Jarrah — who has not actively campaigned for weeks, but his name stayed on the ballot because he withdrew after the nomination deadline — received 16 votes (.8 per cent). But Kwapis’ lead never really seemed in doubt. He jumped ahead in the first poll and rarely lost ground, cruising to a comfortable double-digit victory in a packed race. The nearly 20 people at his party seemed loose and talkative and several members of council arrived shortly after the results were tallied to offer their congratulations. Kwapis, a long-time Ward 5 resident, has managed large national business divisions with annual budget responsibilities of more than $500 million. He has worked for telecommunications companies Telus and Bell. He is also a founder of the Ward 5 traffic safety committee and a member of the Newmarket Historical Society.

See page A2.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

York Region dancers headed to world championships BY CHRIS SIMON

csimon@yrmg.com

Over the next few days, some of York Region’s top dancers will take on the world. Nobleton’s Amanda Rea, 12, and Newmarket’s Mary-Beth Broad, 17, will compete for Team Canada at the IDO World hip hop and break dance championships in Graz, Austria Oct. 19 to 23. On the final day of that competition, Aurora residents Katie Coates and Lili Gray, 13 and 10, respectively, and Richmond Hill’s Zabrina Yousuf, 11, will begin the quest for gold at the IDO World ballet, jazz and modern championship taking place in Wetzlar, Germany. “The feeling you get on the stage is probably the most amazing thing you’ve ever felt,” Broad, who made Team Canada last year as well, said. Broad has been dancing since the age of four. At that time, she entered

ballet — but has since expanded her repertoire to include tap, jazz and lyrical styles. Then about five years ago, she tried hip hop and became fascinated by the style. Coates started dancing at the age of three and quickly excelled. “I’m a perfectionist; I always want to be the best,” she said. “I guess that pushed me to try to be better than everyone else. With Team Canada, you’re with the best. It really pushes you even more than just being at your studio.” Yousuf trains at Newmarket’s iDance studio. “She’s thrilled and honoured to represent Canada in the competition doing what she loves — dance,” iDance owner Rhonda Dimma added. Susie Kockerscheidt/Metroland

For more information on the competition, visit ido-dance.com.

Team Canada Dance troupe Mary-Beth Broad, 17, (back, left) Katie Coates, 13, Amanda Rea, 12 and Lili Gray, 10, (front). Members of the Canadian delegation are off to the IDO World dance championships.

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